Astrophysics and Star Formation Studies
Astrophysics and Star Formation Studies is a research topic within Astronomy and Astrophysics. Science Explorer counts 53k research works in it since 1950. 27.8% of them reached the world's top 10% most cited for their field and year.
This cluster of papers covers a wide range of topics related to star formation, including the formation of stars in molecular clouds, the evolution of protoplanetary disks, the role of interstellar dust and turbulence, astrochemistry, and the influence of magnetic fields on the process. It also explores the characteristics of young stellar objects and accretion disks in various stages of star formation.
- Star Formation
- Molecular Clouds
- Protoplanetary Disks
- Interstellar Dust
- Turbulence
- Astrochemistry
- Young Stellar Objects
- Accretion Disks
- Interstellar Medium
- Magnetic Fields
- Research works
- 53k fractional, since 1950
- In the world top 10%
- 15k per year above
- Top-10% rate
- 27.8% share of its works in the world top 10%
- Growth, 2013–17 → 2018–22
- -5% the tick is no change
Which countries lead Astrophysics and Star Formation Studies research?
By volume, the United States and France publish the most (1.3k and 501 works in 2022–2025).
By volume, 2022–2025
- 1 United States 1.3k works
- 2 France 501 works
- 3 China 425 works
- 4 Germany 349 works
- 5 United Kingdom 315 works
- 6 Russia 269 works
- 7 Japan 245 works
- 8 Italy 207 works
- 9 Spain 183 works
- 10 India 171 works
How concentrated that is
The same countries as shares of everything the list above accounts for. A node where two countries do two thirds of the work and one spread evenly across twelve read alike as a ranking and not at all alike here.
Shares of the rows listed above, not of the whole node.
Which institutions lead Astrophysics and Star Formation Studies research?
By volume in 2022–2025, Center for Astrophysics Harvard & Smithsonian publishes the most Astrophysics and Star Formation Studies research, followed by Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique and Max Planck Institute for Astronomy.
By volume, 2022–2025
- 1 Center for Astrophysics Harvard & Smithsonian United States 116 works
- 2 Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique France 91 works
- 3 Max Planck Institute for Astronomy Germany 51 works
- 4 Leiden University Netherlands 47 works
- 5 Chinese Academy of Sciences China 46 works
- 6 Institute of Astronomy Russia 42 works
- 7 California Institute of Technology United States 41 works
- 8 University of Arizona United States 38 works
- 9 Lomonosov Moscow State University Russia 37 works
- 10 The University of Tokyo Japan 37 works
Who are the leading researchers in Astrophysics and Star Formation Studies?
The most-cited researchers publishing on Astrophysics and Star Formation Studies include E. L. Wright, David N. Spergel and S. Henrot–Versillé.
- 1 E. L. Wright 9.3k citations
- 2 David N. Spergel 7.9k citations
- 3 S. Henrot–Versillé 7.5k citations
- 4 C. L. Bennett 7.4k citations
- 5 C. Leroy 7.3k citations
- 6 M. Halpern 7k citations
- 7 Eiichiro Komatsu 6.6k citations
- 8 A. Amorim 6.1k citations
- 9 Gregory S. Tucker 6k citations
- 10 Volker Springel 5.2k citations
Ranked by citations received across their whole record, among researchers with at least three works on this topic.
Where is Astrophysics and Star Formation Studies research done?
The largest centres of Astrophysics and Star Formation Studies research in 2022–2025 are Paris (France), Beijing (China), Cambridge (United States) and Moscow (Russia). Among places with at least 20 works in it, it is an unusually large share of all research in Nizhniy Arkhyz, Mitaka-shi and Torrejón de Ardoz.
Largest cities, 2022–2025
Where it is the local speciality
- Nizhniy ArkhyzRU · 29.4 works345×
- Mitaka-shiJP · 35.5 works315×
- Torrejón de ArdozES · 20.7 works306×
Location quotient: how much more of its research is in Astrophysics and Star Formation Studies than the world average.
Where is the best place to study Astrophysics and Star Formation Studies?
Among universities, judged by research, Leiden University, Université Bourgogne Franche-Comté and University of Geneva score highest, combining excellence, specialisation, size, growth and international reach. Research strength is one signal when choosing where to study; it does not measure teaching.
One dot per university in the table below. The upper left is the interesting corner: small places doing unusually strong work.
| # | University | Score | Top 10% | Specialisation | Works | Growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Leiden University Netherlands | 67.8 | 39.1% | 27.5× | 47 | +33.7% |
| 2 | Université Bourgogne Franche-Comté France | 67.0 | 39.4% | 33.8× | 17 | +44.3% |
| 3 | University of Geneva Switzerland | 64.0 | 43.9% | 10.0× | 17 | +43.4% |
| 4 | Princeton University United States | 62.8 | 44.6% | 11.6× | 26 | +4.5% |
| 5 | Université Paris-Saclay France | 61.3 | 31.3% | 8.2× | 16 | +467.0% |
| 6 | Heidelberg University Germany | 61.0 | 35.4% | 12.0× | 32 | -0.7% |
| 7 | California Institute of Technology United States | 60.7 | 35.2% | 34.0× | 41 | -14.9% |
| 8 | Université Grenoble Alpes France | 60.7 | 35.4% | 11.9× | 20 | +61.5% |
| 9 | University of Arizona United States | 60.2 | 34.9% | 11.6× | 38 | +12.1% |
| 10 | Center for Astrophysics Harvard & Smithsonian United States | 58.5 | 14.8% | 302.9× | 116 | +6.8% |
Universities only. Score blends excellence (30%), specialisation (25%), size (20%), growth (15%) and international reach (10%), 2015–2022; growth compares 2010–14 with 2015–19.
Is Astrophysics and Star Formation Studies research growing?
Output in 2018–2022 was 5% lower than in 2013–2017, peaking in 2016. The fastest-growing topics are Astrophysics and Star Formation Studies.
The same series as a ribbon — one cell per year, darker for more. The line above answers how much; this answers when.
Which topics inside it are moving
Growth and decline on one axis around a shared zero. Two lists side by side hide the thing that matters: whether the growth dwarfs the decline, or the other way round.